A Legionary & a Gladiator
by The Assassin's mentor
Summary: Roman Empire AU. Jaune Arc, son of a great Centurion, wants to join in on the military to fight for the Emperor and Rome. But once he joins in on the adventures of a Legion, he soon discovers that Rome is being corrupted from the inside rather than barbarians. With the help from a spear wielding Gladiator, will he step up to save Rome?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I got bored so I was watching some Ryse: Son of Rome gameplay and this popped into mind. It's a pretty cool game. That's when I decided to do a Roman AU of RWBY.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own RWBY**

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Act 1: Hastati

Chapter 1: Nightmare's

_It has always been said that the Gods always deiced what happens in the lives of mere mortals. They shape and destroy bits of our path as our lives continue until death, that they control our lives butI never interfere in the middle of our own affairs. That is until one day, Nemesis, the goddess of revenge, has seen what has happened to many brave and courageous heroes fall because of one foolish actions because of greed or corruption._

It was a late cloudy night in the city of Rome. The occasional sound of the wind whistled by the common pleb or soldier of Rome on the empty streets. Mostly a day in Rome would tire people out wanting them to seek their bed and hearth with eager hearts to rest from their daily lives of the empire.

This night, in a villa near the military district of the city, a young boy with messed up blonde hair and ocean blue eyes was wondering his family's villa at the dead of night. He couldn't sleep because he had a nightmare of a barbarian horde that would invade his dreams. He would always run from them but would never run fast enough. Just when they would get him, a ghostly, black armoured centurion would form and defend him. That's when the nightmare ends, leaving him awake for a couple moments before he would drift back into peaceful sleep. This time, he wanted to explore his family's villa after the black centurion faced him in his nightmare after killing off the horde.

His sandled feet made soft tapping noises on the polished marble floors of the villa. He grasped at his arms in an attempt to stay warm because of the cool nightly breeze. He was wearing a grey tunic and shorts which didn't really help against the breeze. He then came upon the east wing of the villa where he would always wander around during his free time. It was his favourite place in his home because of his father's Centurion armour and weaponry.

His father was a Centurion in the Seventeenth Legion, the Imperii Aquilae, and have seen much action in southern Germany against hordes of barbarian's that expanded to close to the civilized boarders of the empire.

He itched his way closer to the armour set of his father that was cleaned and polished daily to keep in in prime condition. His eyes widened in awe when he saw the armour. The light of the moon shined off of it, making it seem like that he was in a dream. The armour was a Lorica Segmentata, scaled armour, that was coloured a white and red shading and threads keeping the armour together. The helmet had horse hair dyed red that went from the the back of the head to the front of the forehead. His father's sword, Crocea Mors, the Yellow Death, was his great-great grandfathers, who was also a Centurion of the Seventeenth. It was a Gladius sheathed in a white scabbard that beared his family crest. Beside the Gladius was a red rectangular shield that showed scrapes and dents saying that it took in much blows to it.

He didn't know how long he was looking at the armour but he was so entranced that he didn't noticed a familiar hand on his shoulder. He turned around to see his father, Fortis Arc, looking at him with a smile on his face. "Jaune, why are you up at this hour?" Fortis asked him as he kneeled down beside his son.

"Sorry, Father, I had a nightmare. I couldn't sleep and I wanted to look at your armour," the boy now named Jaune told Fortis.

Fortis just ruffled his son's hair and picked him up. "Share it with me then. There's no need to be afraid, son," he said to him. He walked over to a chair and sat down. He placed Jaune on his lap and would occasionally shake him. "Now, what was your nightmare, Jaune?"

"Well, I was in a field of wheat at night time. I was looking at the almost ready harvested field until I saw barbarian's coming towards me. I ran away from them but I couldn't run fast enough. They almost got me until a Centurion saved me. He wasn't like a Centurion like you, father, he was all ghostly and black with a part of his face missing with black eyes. He then started killing all of them. They didn't stand a chance against him. After he killed the last one he faced me. I couldn't run. He then walked up towards me... and that's when it ends."

Fortis had widened eyes but shook Jaune softly. "It was just a dream, Jaune, there's no need to be afraid, alright?" he told his son.

Jaune just nodded and jumped off his lap. "Alright, Father."

"Now go on, get to sleep. And maybe, I'll take you to the Colosseum tomorrow with a couple of my friends for old times sake," Fortis said to him.

Jaune wasted no time running towards his bedroom. He flopped himself down on his soft white bed and faced the window looking at towards the royal palace. "I'll be like a soldier like father someday. And I'll fight for the emperor." He closed his eyes and welcomed sleep.

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**Latin Translations:**

**Imperii Aquilae- Eagle's of the Empire**

**Fortis- Brave**


	2. Chapter 2

Act 1: Hastati

Chapter 2: The Son beats the Father

_Two years later..._

_Age- 13_

Jaune was outside of his families villa. It was a bright sunny day in Rome right now and he completed his daily studies from his instructor as well swordplay from Fortis. He was lying down on the bright green grass that surround the villa in a green ocean.

Recently his nightmares have gotten more longer. What used to be the black Centurion facing him was now said Centurion walking towards him and talking to him. "Call upon me if you ever need strength, Jaune," it would say to him. That would even make the general of the Second Legion shit his pants if he had that dream.

More than ten minutes passed by for Jaune as the soft breeze hit his face. "Salutations, Jaune!" called out a familiar voice. Jaune looked up to see one of his friends and smiled at her.

"Salutations too you as well, Penny," Jaune replied to the orange haired girl. He got up and walked up towards her. "What are you doing here?" he asked her.

Penny's emerald green eyes stared at him for awhile, like she was trying to burn a hole through Jaune's face with looks. "Just dropping by to see how you're doing."

Jaune smiled even more at her. "I'm just fine. A little tired, Penny," he answered back.

"Tired? Have you been deprived of sleep?" she asked with a concerned tone in her voice.

"Nah, just having weird nightmares, Penny, nothing to much," Jaune said to her.

Penny then grabbed his arms. Jaune thought that she was gonna rip his arms off due to her grip on his arms. "That's terrible! What kind of nightmares?" Penny asked directly.

Jaune was about to answer when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned his head to see Fortis. He had a wooden shield painted red with a wooden Gladius strapped to his belt. "Jaune, are you alright?"

"I'm perfectly fine, Father," Jaune answered back to him. He instantly knew what was gonna happen when he saw said shield and sword.

Fortis called out a servant to retrieve Jaune's training gear for him. A moment later, a servant came out of the villa with Jaune's shield and sword. He gave it to the young boy who already ripped off Penny's hands off his arms. He placed his shield on his left arm and gripped his sword tightly in his right. Penny stepped back and sat down on the grass with her eyes widened in excitement.

Fortis drew his sword and spun it around. He took his stance. His shield was raised up in front of him while his sword-arm was more backed up beside him with his sword pointing at Jaune. "Get ready Jaune," Fortis said.

His son's response was a sorta clumsy preparing of his stance but became rock solid when he got into his stance. "I'm ready, Father," Jaune said to him.

The two circled each other. They exchanged glances with each other, knowing what's going to occur. "BEGIN!" Fortis shouted to commence the fight.

Jaune ran towards his father with his sword up. He swung down at Fortis. Instinctively, Fortis raised his shield before slashing at Jaune's stomach. Jaune reeled back from the counter. He then raised his shield when Fortis brought his sword from the side. He managed to block the blow but the inertia behind it made him stumble back a bit.

"You're thinking too much, Jaune. Relax your mind and sense your opponents next move before it happens," Fortis said to his son. HE then charged towards Jaune ad swung his shield at him.

Jaune ducked in time from the shield bash, only to receive a hit to the chest from the sword. Jaune stumbled back again. He panted slightly from all the movement. He is in good condition, it's just the training Fortis gives him that tires him out quickly.

Taking his father's advice, Jaune started to breath in slowly. He relaxed his muscles but entrenched his footing. He looked towards his father and assumed his stance again. Yet this time, his stance was more solid than earlier, showing that he had concentration in his eyes. Fortis had a grin grow on his face.

Fortis ran towards Jaune with a war cry. He brought his sword up and swung down hard towards Jaune's head. He was caught off guard when Jaune blocked it quickly with his shield. Jaune gripped his shield handle and swung it at his father's chest and then followed it up with a couple strikes to the legs with his sword. Jaune then threw himself into Fortis causing him to fall on the ground.

Fortis fell on his back and raised his head. He saw Jaune pointing his sword at him as he stood triumphantly on him. "Well done, Jaune," Fortis said to him.

A smile was clear on Jaune's face. He stepped off Fortis and helped him up to his feet. "I was just taking heed to your teachings, Father," he replied.

Fortis dusted himself off. He let out a sigh as he placed his hands on his hips. "Today is a sad day. But it is also a good day. The son beats the father," Fortis said as he ruffled Jaune's hair.

"I just wanna be like you, Father, when you fought in the name of the emperor and the empire," Jaune said to him proudly.

"Jaune, remember this. Not all of your enemies will be found on the battlefield. Never rush to meet the world with a drawn sword. Always come opened handed first."

"That was amazing, Jaune!" Penny exclaimed. She rushed towards Jaune and hugged him. Fortis couldn't help but laugh when he saw Jaune blush at Penny's actions.

"P-Penny, you can let go now," Jaune said to her. Penny immediately let go with her signature smile on her face.

"Jaune, this reminds me of something." Jaune looked at his father who took out a dagger. It was in a gold and silver scabbard with an unusual symbol on it. The face of a Centurion that has a part of it's face missing. "I'm giving this to you, as your grandfather once did to me. When the time comes when you lead men of your own."

Jaune unsheathed the dagger and looked into it's silvery shine. "What are you saying, Father?"

"Remember that black Centurion in your dreams?" Fortis asked him. Jaune nodded. "I want you to think back on what I'm going to say."

"Legend says that Damocles was a great warrior. A revered leader in a vast army. During a massive battle his cowardly commanders abandoned him. When the slain Damocles arrive in the underworld, Nemesis, the goddess of revenge, was enraged at how the brave hero has been treated. She allowed Damocles to return to the world as a vengeful spirit. A ghostly, black-armoured Centurion, who would hunt down and kill each of the generals that wronged him. To this day, many commanders carry a dagger with the image of Damocles on the scabbard. This dagger reminds them to always look after their men, or risk the Black Centurion returning from the dead to avenge their selfish mistakes."

Jaune sheathed dagger and faced his father. He was both scared but proud. He was scared because of his dreams. Damocles is the one that comes into his dreams. But his is proud that he now knows who is in his dreams, knowing that he'll only slay those who have mistreated their men. "Thank you, Father."

"And I thank you, Jaune, for being a wonderful son," Fortis replied.

_...But it was not to last..._

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**I know that some of the dialogue is from Ryse: Son of Rome, but I didn't have any other choice of dialogue and the lines from the game are pretty good.**


End file.
